The Ontario government is investing over $21 million in programs designed to enhance the skills of long-term care staff, aiming to improve the quality of care for residents across the province, particularly in rural and northern communities. These initiatives will help 700 workers gain new qualifications and advance in their careers, ensuring residents receive safe and supportive care.
Premier Doug Ford emphasized the government’s commitment to strengthening long-term care, highlighting that investments in programs like Learn and Earn will help maintain quality care in all communities. This new funding complements Ontario’s existing $4.9 billion four-year staffing plan, which has focused on recruitment, training, and retention, successfully adding tens of thousands of personal support workers and nurses and surpassing the target of four hours of daily direct care per resident in 2025.
The $21.5 million investment will fund two key programs. The PSW Learn and Earn Program, supported with $17.6 million, allows current long-term care staff, including resident support personnel and dietary aides, to train as personal support workers through online courses followed by paid, on-site clinical placements. The PSW to PN Learn and Earn Program, funded with $3.9 million, enables 40 existing PSWs to become registered practical nurses, advancing their careers and enhancing resident care.
Both programs will be delivered by Humber Polytechnic and build on the early success of Learn and Earn, which has already trained over 600 PSWs, expanding direct care access for residents. These initiatives are particularly valuable for rural, remote, and northern areas, allowing students to train locally and enabling long-term care homes to develop their own workforce.
Minister of Long-Term Care Natalia Kusendova-Bashta noted that these investments create a strong staff training pipeline, helping retain more workers while improving resident care. Overall, this approach supports Ontario’s broader long-term care strategy, which focuses on four pillars: staffing and care, quality and enforcement, building modern and safe homes, and connecting seniors with faster, more convenient access to services.
